Within The Darkness
by BePassionate24
Summary: M Rated. Sequel to "Within Temptation". After ten years of embracing marriage and fatherhood. A lifetime of memories. What happens when two unexpected tragedies strike the Salvatore & Mikaelson brothers unexpectedly? How will they each cope? Will they be able to survive their new realities and remain strong for the ones they love? (Stelena,Klaroline,Debekah/Datherine/Bamon,Kalijah)
1. Prologue

**A/N: Since so many of you have been asking me about writing a sequel to "Within Temptation", I finally decided to write one. This sequel takes place five years after the epilogue for "Within Temptation". Which means that within the story line, a total of 10 years has passed since we last read about the Salvatore and Mikaelson families. I will be adding Bonnie Bennett into the story and as well as a few other new characters. This story is M rated and everyone is human. Lastly, this story will be MUCH darker than "Within Temptation" and it will have a lot of flashbacks.  
**

* * *

 **Within The Darkness: Prologue**

"Mom?" Sarah knocked on her bedroom door as Caroline applied her makeup. They were bound for a weekend of fun and laughter. All the girls, except for Emma, Stefan and Elena's five-year-old daughter.

"There's my birthday girl!" Caroline commented, getting up from the vanity in her bedroom and giving her daughter, Sarah a kiss on the cheek and a tight hug. "My beautiful seventeen-year-old daughter." Caroline smiled widely. She couldn't believe it! Sarah was growing up so fast and tonight was all in celebration of her. Rebekah, Elena, Katherine and Caroline had all planned a relaxing and fun getaway weekend for all of them to enjoy.

"So, about tonight…Which one?" Sarah began to say, moving her hands in front of her to reveal two different tops that were supposed to go with her dark brown boots and black tights. "I like the red one. I think it's better than the dark purple." Caroline smiled, watching Sarah's blue eyes light up as she hugged her mom again and smiled. "I can't wait for tonight, mom! It's going to be amazing." She stated, blowing her a kiss as Caroline went to go take a seat back at her vanity. She glanced at herself in the mirror for a minute. The last few years had taken their toll on her face. It was stress. The stresses of watching Klaus stepping into the role of CEO at Dasells hadn't been easy on them. Even though he was forever grateful for Damon and Stefan's promotion. Klaus and Caroline both missed their simple lives and longed for them. The last few years had brought them wonderful vacations and great family memories. Yet, the long work hours at the company and Caroline's work as an event planner and decorator hadn't really helped their marriage. She missed her husband and she was pretty sure that he missed her too.

The cell phone in front of her interrupted her thoughts as she picked it up, smiling.

"I was just thinking about you." Caroline mused, hearing him laugh.

"I had a free moment, thought that I'd call my wife and see how the preparations for the getaway were going?" Klaus asked, reminding her to call him later in the night when they had gotten to their destination safely.

"Oh, you mean the preparations for the hour-long drive from Chicago to Monticello, Indiana? It's all planned and believe me, it's going to be a weekend that our daughter will never forget." Caroline commented, grinning when she thought about the spa day and the cottage rental on the lake that she'd secured for the weekend, all for Sarah's birthday.

"Good. I'll miss you both while I'm reading over paperwork and financials for Dasells. You know, this company has been shit since both Salvatore brother's stepped down." Klaus told her, exhaling deeply as Caroline sighed.

"Well, you're doing the best that you can and that counts for something. Now, I wonder what Damon and Stefan have been up to?" Caroline laughed out, thinking about how she needed to call Elena to make sure that she was coming with them.

"Probably laughing at Elijah and I, the two fools who decided to take over this place!" Klaus replied, telling his wife that he had to go. But, that he loved her and for her to text him when they made it to the Indiana bed and breakfast.

"I love you too. Always." Caroline replied, ending her phone call as she glanced down at her left hand, grinning at her wedding ring. She was lucky to have him and she was damn certain that these last few years had been the best of both of their lives.

* * *

"I said. You can't run around the house without pants, Emma!" Stefan shouted after his daughter, running after her as he nearly crashed into Elena.

"Woah! What's going on here?" She giggled, smiling down at her husband who was half dressed in a white dress shirt, a red tie half way around his neck and still in his gray colored boxers, chasing after Emma who was having a bit of a fit.

"You can't leave me with her for the weekend. I'm already totally exhausted." Stefan replied, inhaling sharply as Elena shrugged her shoulders.

"You'll have Damon, Klaus and Elijah as your backups. Also, Lizzie's staying behind to keep them company as well." Elena informed him as Stefan turned around to watch Emma jumping up and down on her bed, yelling and shouting out no. "No! No! No! Noooo pants! No pants, daddy! No pants!" She yelled out, sounding awfully persistent in her protest of wearing pants.

"Was it you that taught her that pants were optional in our society?" He asked his wife, standing beside her as Elena turned into him, giggling.

"No. It was Katherine. She said that Emma needed to learn the word No early on and well, I didn't think she was going to apply it to everything now." Elena replied, feeling Stefan wrap his arms around her as he too laughed. "Well, tell your sister that when Emma stays with her and Elijah that they need to start teaching her that pants are important. We can't have a pantless child running around in public."

"Daddy, catch me!" Emma shrieked, jumping off the bed as Elena and Stefan glanced over at one another.

"I got you, wiggle worm!" Stefan exclaimed, scooping her up into his arms and tickling her sides as the green eyed and brown haired little girl giggled and her face turned red from laughing so hard.

"Okay, I've got to get ready for tonight." Elena commented, glancing down at her daughter while she looked at her watch and adjusted her purse over her shoulder. "I've got to go get some last minute things for the road trip." She said, watching Stefan give her a saddened look.

"I still don't want you leaving me." He pleaded with her in a playful tone, mentioning that he too had to drop Emma off at daycare and then proceed to go downtown to check up on Elijah and Klaus at Dasells.

"What are you still doing, lingering around Dasells? Stefan, I thought you said you wouldn't do that anymore. You and Damon decided to step down for a reason. Look," She began to say as Stefan planted a quick kiss against her lips.

"I'm only there for a project that Klaus is working on. After it's done, I promise that I'll stop. Besides," He shrugged, kissing her again and whispering into her ear. "It keeps me out of trouble."

Elena's brown eyes widened. "You want trouble. Mr. Salvatore? I'll give it to you in a very different way." Elena winked with a flirtatious tone, leaning into him and kissing his neck, trailing her fingers against his jawbone. "When I get back after a long weekend away. I can give you a lot of trouble." She smiled, causing Stefan to pull her against him, wrapping his arms around her waistline as he smirked, hearing Emma run off into her bedroom, closing the door behind her. "Is that so, Mrs. Salvatore?" He asked playfully, causing her to laugh.

Elena nodded. Kissing him softly before taking a step back as she walked towards the front door of their house with her car keys in hand. "By the way, I'm taking your Porsche." She replied, jingling the keeps in front of Stefan as he glanced at her for a minute and shook his head, giving her a smug smile. "Oh, she loves fast cars and lots of trouble. I married a winner."

Elena removed her hand from the doorknob, pivoting on her heels as she gave him a mischievous smile while she stated. "Well, if I remember correctly. You're the one who taught me to be more like my sister. In every way, possible. So, don't blame me for the bad influences, Stefan. I married a bad boy."

He chuckled, looking behind him to make sure that Emma wasn't in ear shot and still had her door closed as he moved closer towards his wife. Elena gasped when she felt his hand on her butt and then her body being pressed up against the front door. "You want a bad boy?" He laughed, pressing his lips against her neck and sucking on her warm flesh as his hand moved its way up her right thigh. Elena gasped when his cold hands touched her red lace underwear and he wedged his rough calloused fingers carefully between the elastic band of her underwear and her skin, sliding his hand down her panties.

"I can be the worst you've ever seen…." He taunted, watching as Elena bit down on her lower lip and closed her eyes, trying everything in her power to stifle a groan when Stefan's hand touched her roughly between her legs. "Stefan….Please.." Elena muttered out, feeling his lips against hers, preventing her from moaning out his name.

Just as quickly as he teased her, Stefan moved both of his hands away from his wife as they heard Emma walking down the hall, looking for them and calling out for her mom and dad. "Now," He paused, kissing her hungrily as he stared into her eyes. "Remember that for this weekend. When you're away from me. Because when you come back, I'll show you how bad of an influence I can be." He winked, telling her that he loved her as he watched Elena leave the house.

"Okay." Was all she could manage to say as she felt her legs nearly give out on her. Elena had known for years that there was a darker side to her husband. However, she had only seen glimpses of it. Although, after what he'd just done. She felt her heart leaping into her chest as she excitedly became intrigued at all the secrets that lied within Stefan Salvatore. Was Stefan really as bad as he claimed?

"I can't wait." She said, smiling eagerly after closing the door. She was a lucky woman, Elena thought to herself. The luckiest to have found a man like him.

* * *

"Mom!" Elizabeth shouted, holding up her little sister as if she was a doll in her arms.

"Claire puked all over me!" Elizabeth shouted, bumping into her father while she handed him his youngest daughter and the new addition to the household.

"That's what they do, Lizzie. They puke, poop, scream, cry and keep you up all night long. You look like a zombie for about a year. But," Damon smirked, taking the little blue eyed and dark brown haired baby into his arms, kissing her cheeks and making her giggle. Claire was six months old and having her in their five-bedroom brand new house was an adjustment for everyone, including Elizabeth who had been an only child for so long.

"You love them anyways." Damon chuckled, pivoting on his heels as Rebekah stood against the doorframe, smiling widely while she observed Damon with his two daughters.

"Give me Claire and watch a pro." She laughed, causing both Elizabeth and Damon to turn towards her as he placed Claire into her arms. Kissing the baby's chubby cheeks, Rebekah softly sang to her and cooed. "Momma loves her baby her so much!"

"This is how you need to put her to sleep or calm her down." She told them. Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders, nodding. "Alright then. Well, I'm going to be late for school and dance recital. Daddy, can you pick me up from dance tonight?" She asked, leaning over and kissing her mom's cheek and pinching her younger sister's face. "I love you both." She said.

"That's fine. Your mom, cousin and aunt's are heading on that little weekend trip. So, uncle Stefan and uncle Klaus are going to be coming over tonight too. For a poker night." Damon winked, hearing Rebekah laugh. "My brothers are going to make you lose all of your money. How wonderful, darling."

"Is Elijah going to be there too?" Rebekah asked, hugging Lizzie as the little girl grabbed her backpack and headed out the door. "I love you! Have a wonderful day and I'll see you when you get back home mom!" She shouted, running towards the school bus after kissing both of her parents goodbye.

Damon shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. You know that him and Katherine have been having some problems ever since they moved back to the city and sold that ranch in Wyoming. Also, living with Ethan full time has been an adjustment." Damon replied as Rebekah gave her husband a saddened look. "I was really rooting for them, you know. I had hoped that moving back to Chicago would bring them closer. Instead, it sounds like it's tearing them apart. I mean, I know how much Katherine and Elijah love each other and Ethan…" Her voice trailed off as Damon exhaled deeply. He wasn't really sure any more of what was going on between his brother in law and Katherine.

"I heard Rose came back to work for my brothers." Rebekah commented as Damon took a sip of his coffee and nearly spit it out of his mouth. "What?" He asked, staring up at his wife in astonishment. Rebekah shook her head. "Who knows. That's what one of the tabloids said and when I was there earlier in the week visiting Klaus. I overheard the same thing. She is now Elijah's new secretary. Apparently, they've been in contact and are now on good terms. You know, maybe that's caused a lot of tension between them lately." She replied, hoping that it wasn't true.

Damon gave her a helpless look. "Who knows. I guess only time will tell or the tabloids will." He stated, thinking about how nasty the headlines of the Chicago Tribune would be to Elijah and Katherine's marriage. Thankful himself that he and Rebekah had managed to stay under the media's radar for the last few years.

* * *

"So, it is true!" Katherine said, bursting into Elijah's office as he lifted his head up from the stack of financial paperwork that was in front of him.

"What's true?" He asked, titling his head to the side as his wife pointed back behind her, adjusting her wine-colored blouse and shaking her head as she shoved the hem of it into her grey colored pants.

"Rose. Your ex-wife is working at Dasells?" Katherine spat out, sighing out a breath.

"I know. But-." Lifting up her hand and running it through her hair, Katherine rolled her eyes while Elijah tried to explain. Katherine pivoted on her heels and began walking towards the door.

"You know what, Elijah? I think that this getaway will do us both some good. Believe me." She said, hearing him get up from his seat, reaching out to touch her shoulder.

"Don't leave angry at me, Kat. You know that there isn't anything between us anymore. I don't love her, Katherine! I love you!" He reassured his wife, causing her to turn back towards him and shrug her shoulders helplessly.

"I chose you all those years ago, baby. I love you." He said in a pleading tone, cupping her face into his hands as Katherine leaned in to kiss him. Lately it felt as if her husband was just a friend and not the man she married. His long work hours at the office had really placed a strain on their relationship and it was really starting to show.

"Well, I need to get going. But, I'll call you from the road tonight and from our cottage." She told him, opening the door to his office as she left the room, nearly bumping into Rose.

"I'm sorry." Rose stammered out, taking a step back as Katherine adjusted herself and crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at her. "It's fine." She said icily, walking past her. But, just as Rose began to walk away, Katherine's voice stopped her in her tracks. "You know what? On second thought. Rose," She began to say, taking a step back towards her so that the two women were now face to face. "If you so as look in my husband's direction with those wandering little doe eyes of yours. I swear that there will be hell to pay. Just because he offered you this job, doesn't mean that you two get to rekindle anything between the sheets." She threatened, brushing past Rose and heading towards the elevators.

"It's not like that, Katherine!" She heard Rose shout out as Katherine rolled her eyes, pressing the button to the elevator. "Right, because that's what I used to say too. When I was just sleeping with him and he was cheating on you. It was never like that between us. Only in the bedroom, when I'd make him orgasm so hard that he'd scream out my name and not yours. So, all I'm saying is. Keep your legs closed and your eyes to yourself, Rose-Marie." She commented, taking a step back into the elevators and watching the pixie brown haired woman gawk at her from afar. If there was one thing in this world that Katherine Mikaelson couldn't stand, it was Elijah's ex-wife.

* * *

Dusk was just setting in by the time they had packed the car and left the house that night. Rebekah sat next to Sarah and reminded her to buckle up. "It's better to be safe than sorry." She told the younger Mikaelson as she pulled her into a hug and wished her an early happy birthday.

"I love you very much sweetie." She said, kissing the top of her head and adjusting her own seat belt as Caroline and Elena ran back towards the car. They had stopped at a gas station to fill up the 2010 Porsche Cayenne SUV that Damon had bought himself for his birthday just a few weeks prior.

"So, what's on the agenda for this weekend?" Rebekah leaned forward, stealing a piece of a French fry from her sister in law, Caroline as they watched Elena rub her eyes and turn towards Rebekah.

"I'm not saying a damn thing until we get to Indiana. Not one word about this weekend." Caroline replied, earning a punch in the arm from Rebekah.

"Hey, do I have to separate the two of you. Rebekah, do you want to drive instead?" Elena asked with an annoyed tone, hearing her groan as she reluctantly got out of the car and switched seats with Elena.

"That's fine. Now, I can torture Caroline some more for some answers to our weekend plans." She grinned, turning back to the girls as Katherine yawned out a breath, rubbing her eyes in the far backseat. "Where are we?" She questioned, causing everyone to laugh.

"Well, if these two stopped fighting. We'd be at the bed and breakfast already." Sarah chimed in, glancing over at Elena and Katherine with a smile.

"It's fine. Go back to sleep. I'll wake you up when we get there." Elena told her sister, leaning her head against Katherine's shoulder while the curly haired brunette placed her hand onto her sister's face and mumbled a soft. "Okay. I love you." In her direction. Elena clasped their hands together and giggled. "I love you too sleepy head." She commented, feeling the car move as Rebekah adjusted the seat and inhaled sharply. "I feel like a midget was driving this car earlier." She joked, feeling a quick flick on the back of her neck.

"Ouch!" Rebekah whined, readjusting the rearview mirrors as she shook her head and reved the engine. "Damon hates it when I drive a little fast. But, you know what? My hubby isn't here." She smirked, pulling out of the gas station quickly as the girls all checked their seat belts and Caroline laughed. "I always knew there was a wild side to you, Rebekah!"

"You have no idea!" She smiled, looking both ways as she proceeded to leave the gas station and head back towards the freeway. "Only another few more miles to go." She laughed, grabbing a hold of Caroline's hand as she turned towards her and said. "Only a half hour left. Sounds long enough for me to pry information about this weekend out from you."

* * *

Miles passed by quickly and Rebekah felt herself growing tired. Everyone in the car had fallen asleep and with just a few more miles to go, she too was starting to feel herself drifting off. "Stay awake! We're almost there!" She told herself, refocusing on the road as she switched the radio on and began softly humming to the music. Rebekah's heavy eyelids lost focus of the road for just a split second and then it happened. The bright headlights from the other car came rushing towards her, smashing into them and causing the Porsche to lose control. Everything went dark and all Rebekah could hear were the screams of all the girls. The sound of screeching tires and the smell of gasoline filled the air.

Opening her eyes carefully, she groaned. Realizing that the SUV had been flipped on its side was worrisome. But, she couldn't really remember how it had happened. Everything happened so fast and now, nothing could be heard from anyone within the car. Slowly coming to her senses, she could feel herself being lifted up. Her head was pounding and just as she tried to lift her body up to see what was going on, to explain to her mind why it was that she felt cold and why she was bleeding. A young woman with a concerned look in her eyes, forced her back down. "Ma'am, you need to stay still. Do you understand me? You can't move. You need to stay still." She ordered, forcing her head to be in an awkward position against the gurney and her neck in a brace.

Confused and dazed, she couldn't remember what had exactly happened or when it had exactly happened and that terrified her. "My daughter….I need to call my husband…I need to tell him- I need…" Her voice trailed off as she felt herself slipping in and out of consciousness. "It's okay, he's already been notified." The paramedic informed her, telling her to relax as her eyes fluttered shut just as she heard a voice call out over the walkie talkie. "Two fatalities. Multiple people injured. Wrong way driver was heading southbound and hit them head on…."

"Car accident?" She uttered out in a soft tone. Feeling the grip of another paramedic on her left side. "Ma'am, you've been in a car crash. Listen to me. Can you tell me your name?" He asked her, watching as her eyes opened and she incoherently spoke, begging with him. "You need to call my husband. Please! Tell him to pick up my daughter…Please."

"Ma'am." The paramedic began again, holding onto her hand tightly as her eyes started to close again and in a barely there whisper she uttered out. "Elena Salvatore. My name is Elena Salvatore and please, you need to call my husband. Stefan. He needs to know…We didn't make it…He needs to…." Elena's voice trailed off as the young man looked at his coworker and heard the machine's beeping, the lines on the machine were going flat. "Elena! Stay with me. Elena, you need to open your eyes. Shit! Elena! We're losing her! Get me that crash cart and charge the paddles. We can't lose this one too, she's coding!"


	2. Chapter 1

*** There will be a lot of flashbacks throughout this story to fill in the missing gaps of time and things like that. Also, I'm going to be referring back to Within Temptation a lot. So, I suggest reading that story first before you read this one if you haven't already done so.***

* * *

 **Within The Darkness- Chapter One**

 **Stefan**

My heart's heavy. It's holding on to hope that I doubt will come anytime soon. My fingers clutch tightly around the necklace and rings that I had given my wife, years ago as gifts while awaiting the news of her fate.

I hate this. The waiting game, waiting for Elena to wake up and for all of her vitals to stabilize. Waiting to see Damon and tell him about Rebekah and everyone else. But, my worries are far from over as Damon rushes in through the doors, tears streaming down his face the minute he sees me sitting in the hallway of the intensive care unit. "I got your message." He says in a panicked tone.

"Stefan...Stef..." He stammers out his words, the tears cascading down his cheeks while he looks at me and grabs a hold of me to steady himself. "Where's Rebekah?" Damon's out of breath- out of his mind too maybe while glancing around the hallway as doctor's rush past us, most of them with charts in their hands or patients beside them.

"Where's my wife!" He shouts at me, worry in his dark blue eyes as he clutches his fingers around the collar of my dress shirt. "Where's my wife, Stefan!" My brother's starting to become hysterical as I close my eyes and his voice cracks. "Where's Rebekah, Stefan?" Damon questions with a pissed off tone, his voice becoming weaker and weaker as he locks his eyes onto mine and without words, he can see it. The grief. Yet, he's still pleading, begging me for another answer.

How do I tell him that during the car crash, Rebekah had forgotten to put her seatbelt back on and she was ejected from the car? That the doctors had been trying to do everything they could to save her life. But, just a half hour ago, his sweet, dear wife died at the age of 33 years old from her injuries and my brother didn't even get the chance to say goodbye?

It's going to break him. Shatter him. Beyond a doubt, tear him to shreds.

"Damon," I begin to say, my voice soft and hesitant as my brother's eyes fill with tears again and he shoves me away, clutching his hair and slamming the wall outside of a hospital room. "I want to see her!" He shouts, getting glances from a few doctors as he walks over to the nurse's station and asks for the Emergency Room doctor who worked on Rebekah, demanding to see him as soon as possible.

"Mr. Salvatore," A young blonde haired and blue eye attending dressed in a pair of blue scrubs calls out to my brother as he pivots on his heels and rushes to him. Watching the scene unfold in front of my eyes makes me wish that none of this was real, that I'd wake up from this nightmare and we'd all be okay again. However, the blood on his shoes, indicates otherwise as he leads Damon to the room where a team of nurses and doctors had worked on his wife relentlessly for over an hour and still couldn't save her.

"Mr. Salvatore." A voice calls out to me, watching me get up as I glance over at her. She's got these thick dark colored glasses on, a saddened expression on her face as she holds a chart in her hands and glances down at it. "My name is Dr. Barrow. I was one of the doctors there when they brought your wife, Elena into the Emergency Room." She explains as I nod, rubbing the back of my head and nervously ringing my hands together. "How is she?" The doctor hears me ask as she takes a step back. "Mr. Salvatore. Your wife, Elena has suffered a brain injury and she can't remember what happened..." Her voice trails off as I stare at her blankly.

"A brain injury? What does that mean, exactly?" I ask, aware of what she means to some capacity. However, I'm still trying to wrap my mind around what the extent of Elena's injuries are.

Dr. Barrow adjusts her glasses as she clears her throat and states. "Elena has suffered a traumatic brain injury and because of it, she's suffered retrograde amnesia. It means that she can't remember the events of the car accident and she probably can't remember other events as well, some from present life and some from her past."

I shake my head, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Retrograde Amnesia?" She hears me ask as she nods her head. Showing me a brain scan that they had just taken, which shows the damage clearly. "Her memory is quite spotty at the moment. So, I need you to be prepared for that. She might not remember you or your daughter." She explains as she watches me take a seat just a few feet outside of Elena's hospital room. My hands are laced in the back of my head as I lean my head back, staring up at the ceiling. For some reason, the night I met Elena at the homeless shelter pops into my mind, the night she had convinced me and everyone else that she was Katherine sticks out the most. Her tattered clothes and matted hair, those dark brown doe eyes nearly begging me to save her from the life she was living.

"Can she regain it all back?" I ask Dr. Barrow in a soft tone, maybe a little bit of a pleading one.

I watch from the corner of my eye as she takes a seat beside me and clears her throat. "Mr. Sal-." She begins to say as I cut her off, telling her to just call me by my first name.

"Stefan," She corrects herself, pausing for a moment to think of the correct words to tell me. Yet, deep down I'm sure we both know that Elena regaining her memory fully will be a challenge.

"It depends on the patient. I've been doing this job for 15 years and some of my former patients regain their memories fairly quickly. Others, never do. It takes time and patience. A lot of therapy too and a good support system." She explains, placing her hand onto mine in a comforting way as she gets up from her seat when I ask if I can see Elena.

"Yes. I think she'd like that." Dr. Barrow tells me with a gentle smile as I inhale sharply, thinking about one thing before I walk in through the door. How am I supposed to tell Emma that her mother might not remember her? How do I act around my wife who might not remember me?

* * *

 **Damon**

She's cold when I touch her hand. The beautiful and radiant smile that I had learned to love so much over the years and when I had first met her is gone now and what's left is the pale existence of a corpse, a woman that I don't know anymore. Her soul's probably soaring in heaven now, giving someone else her best smile.

They say that there are five stages of grief. Five stages of heart wrenching agony that I'm going to go through.

1\. Denial

2\. Anger

3\. Bargaining

4\. Depression

5\. Acceptance

I'm not ready for any of them as I hold Rebekah's cool feeling hand and tears stream down my face, never seeming to stop. My beautiful wife and the mother of our two even more stunning daughters' is dead and I don't think- wait- I know- that I won't be able to survive this. A light knock on the door tears me away from my private time of mourning as his eyes register what's happening and he nearly collapses on the bed next to her.

"No, not Rebekah!" Elijah screams out, walking over to me as I get up from my seat, embracing me tightly. We're both shaking, crying against one another and holding each other for support because I'm sure that once one of us lets go, neither of us will be able to stand on our own in this room.

"I am so sorry." I whisper into his ear, clutching onto him and wishing this could have all had a different outcome. We both step out of the room as I nod over to the doctor that gives us both a saddened look.

Elijah exhales, shoving his hands into his pockets while he looks at the floor and then he says in a low voice. "Katherine's in the ICU. They're not sure if she's going to wake up, Damon. She's in a coma- result of the accident. Look, I need to go call some family members and see if Klaus is here somewhere, they brought Sarah in and that doesn't sound good either. Caroline's the only one who walked away with a few scratches and bruises. She's got a broken arm. I need to go inform the family about Rebekah." He tells me with a broken tone, patting my shoulder as if in a way to tell me to be strong as he pivots on his heels and I watch him walk away, leaving me alone in the hallway with my own grief and sadness, with my heart breaking.

* * *

 **Klaus**

I've seen death.

But, I've never imaged in a million years that I'd have to be the one to identify her body. To tell the doctors and the coroner that the little girl in front of me is in fact my own flesh and blood. I never thought that I'd be burying my own daughter.

"That's her." I utter out, the words strangling my vocal cords as I glance up to see Elijah standing in the hallway of the operating room. "I'm very sorry for your loss. We did everything we could possible. But, her heart gave out." The doctor tells me as he walks away, right before covering Sarah's face back up with the white sheet.

My only thought is Caroline when I walk out of the cold feeling room. Elijah doesn't say anything as I push past him and walk out back into the waiting room. My heart is screaming, my mind shattered with a million things.

Did she suffer or was it quick?

How am I going to tell Caroline that our daughter's dead?

How are we going to get through this?

"Klaus!" I hear a familiar voice echoing from behind me as he clutches his jacket, dropping it to the ground and running towards us. Kol embraces me tightly as he whispers into my ear how sorry he is for our loss. "I just heard what happened. I was on a flight that was going just boarding for Amsterdam and I got Elijah's voicemail. The rest of the family is on their way. Mom and dad are coming from London and Freya's in New York. She's coming though." He tells me as I take a step away, wiping my tears against my gray colored shirt sleeve.

"I need to tell Caroline." I comment, my mind spinning with anger and sorrow.

Shaking his head, Elijah stops me from walking into my wife's hospital room. "Not right now. Klaus, she just got out of surgery."

"I don't give a damn! My wife needs to know." I tell my brother, pushing him out of the way as I walk into my wife's room.

"Love," I begin to say, watching her while she looks up at me from her hospital bed.

"Baby." Caroline says with a smile, reaching out to touch my hand. The moment our hands meet, I can't hold it in any longer. The overwhelming sadness hits me harder than expected as Caroline touches my face with her good hand. I lost it. All sense of emotions consume me.

"What's wrong, Klaus? How's Sarah?" She asks.

Sharply inhaling, makes my voice hoarse when our eyes meet and I tightly wrap my hands around hers, running my thumb over her wedding band. "Caroline. Sweetheart, there's something I need to tell you..." My voice trails off as I struggle with how to even say the words. The imagine of Sarah's somber looking face is clear as day in my mind.

"What is it? Where's Sarah, Klaus? Where's my baby girl?" Caroline questions, demanding to know. Tears are welling up into her beautiful blue eyes as she grabs a hold of my shirt and brings my face down to hers, fisting up my shirt into her hands. Her voice malicious and hurt. "Where the fuck is my daughter, Klaus! Tell me right now! What happened to Sarah!" She yells out, forcing me to push away from her. I rub my face with my hands, almost as if I'm washing away the memory of Sarah, laying lifeless on the operating table.

"She's dead! Okay! Sarah is dead, Caroline!" I scream at her, pushing away from my wife and shoving a chair in the room across the floor right before I storm out of the room. I'm choking back sobs as I sit outside of her hospital room, slamming my fist into the dry wall while I sit there, watching my knuckles bleed. The last time I saw Sarah, a smiling image of my daughter plays around in my head as I repeatedly whisper out softly. "She's dead...She's dead, Caroline. Our sweet, beautiful Sarah is dead."

* * *

 **Elena**

Floating. That's what this feels like as I lean my head back and close my eyes. I feel invincible when he walks through the door, smiling at me with a bit of hesitation.

Whoever he is. I can tell you that he's very well dressed. He's good looking too with these sparkling green eyes and the cuffs of his white dress shirt rolled up past his elbows a pair of khaki colored dress pants, very businesslike and professional looking.

"Elena." He says my name with such a familiarity that it's a bit haunting. But, I'm pretty sure that I don't know him. How can I, he doesn't really look that familiar at the moment. So, why does he sound like he's said my name a million times before. So sure of it?

"Your family is on their way." He says, taking a hold of my hand and unfolding my clenched fists, placing a silver necklace and two different gold rings into my hands.

"What are these?" I ask him, watching him give me a sorrowful look. For whatever reason, seeing me is killing him and yet, I don't even know his name.

"They're yours. I thought you'd want them back." He tells me, exhaling deeply as I hear someone call out a familiar last name in his direction. "Mr. Salvatore." One of the nurses says, waving him in her direction as he holds up his hand and tells her to give him a few more minutes with me alone in the room.

"Salvatore? As in, Stefan?" He hears me ask, confusion and bewilderment on my face while he nods his head. "Yes." He states, attempting to explain to me exactly who he is as I suddenly interrupt him.

"You're like a wealthy business man? Right? You're the guy that every single person in Chicago knows..." My voice trails off as I stare at him, smiling. "I've read stories about you and that wife of yours, my god. She sounds bitchy and your life sounds so stressful. Ugh, I'm sorry but I'd hate to live that kind of life."

He laughs, shaking his head. But, just as the smile appeared on his face, it vanishes.

"So, you know who I am." He states as I nod my head.

"Of course, I know who you are. I've read news articles about you and that wife of yours." I tell him, watching as he gives me a perplexed look when he exhales heavily and then he asks in a calm tone. "Elena, what's my wife's name?"

I laugh, scoffing at his words as he leans forward, grabbing my hand into his again, gliding his fingers over my thumb. "Tell me. What's her name?" He asks again.

Why does he keep touching me so intimately? It's creepy!

Good lord! And, why does he keep asking that question? It's super annoying. I know who she is! I've seen her in the tabloids. The woman looks just like me- another thing that I'm super curious about. Why in the hell does she look just like me?

"It's Katherine Salvatore. Why do you keep asking me that as if I'm going to say something else." The look on his face makes me tilt my head to the side as he gets up with an angry expression. Wonderful, Elena! You've just pissed off the hot, nice guy.

What else are you going to blurt out?

Stefan leans back into his seat, pushing it away from me as he bites down on his lower lip and then he suddenly gets up, walking out of the room as I shout after him. "Where are you going?"

He turns around for a second, shaking his head in what seems to be disbelief. "To find your doctor." He replies, leaving the room without another word as he leaves me sitting there, just as confused as I was before he had even walked through the door.


End file.
